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Interviews

Loft rated at 50-50 ahead of Exeter home encounter

8 March 2021

Interviews

Loft rated at 50-50 ahead of Exeter home encounter

8 March 2021

First team manager Neil Cox has previewed the home Sky Bet League Two encounter against Exeter City on Tuesday night and provided updates on a number of players.

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9 March 2021

Preparing for their sixth game in the space of 17 days, the boss says striker Ryan Loft is set for a return to the squad but a decision hasn't been made yet on whether the frontman will start against the Grecians.

He has sat out the last two games with an ankle problem after coming off at half-time against Cheltenham Town last weekend.

He told iFollow Iron: "Lofty has trained and is '50-50' at the moment. He'll be in and around the 18 somehow but whether we start him or if he's on the bench is the decision we need to make tomorrow."

Meanwhile, central defender Harrison McGahey will sit the match out after coming off with a groin issue at half-time against Salford City on Saturday.

Cox added: "Harrison will miss the game, and will have a scan on Tuesday. It was just a precaution bringing him off and it doesn't look too bad but we just have to make sure."

"Manny (Onariase) misses out too," he continued. "While we'll not make a decision on two or three of the lads until tomorrow, as they've got little strains and kicks. We'll make sure everybody gets a good night's sleep and then get them in and check on them.

"There are options and a lot of fresh bodies I could throw in but we just have to make sure it's the right set-up and we make it difficult for a team full of confidence after a great result at the weekend (winning 4-0 against Leyton Orient at St James Park)."

Myles Hippolyte and Jordan Hallam were substituted in the latter stages of Saturday's 1-1 away draw at Salford City, but Cox added the pair should be fine for Tuesday night.

He said: "They blew up but we knew they would having not played that much recently. Both trained this morning and both will be involved tomorrow. We just have to make sure everyone we select is right and raring to go from minute one.

"We started well on Saturday but in the two games before that we didn't start well enough. and starting matches well is an important thing."

Talking about the fixture against Matt Taylor's side, who sit eighth in the table, he commented: "We all need to keep working hard together like we have been. Everyone is working extremely hard, not just the players but the staff behind them too to make sure the players are fit and recuperated correctly.

"It's a hard game but hopefully we can come out the other end with a result. There are still 45 points to play for and we want to get as many as we can."

See much more from Neil Cox on iFollow Iron. Click here to get your Iron v Exeter City match pass.


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